Motion picture projector



Feb. 14, 1933;

w.- L. WRIGHT MOTION ICTURE mencin Original Filed Sept. 3.' 1,929

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' Patented AFein-14, 1933 UNITED. ks'lxATl-:s

' `fissata;

-rai'llala'rA ori-ica I. WRIGHT, OF SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO SYNCBBOIE COB- Y vide an optical 'system 2G rality of shafts o light to` plroject them` gethe'r in POBATIONQ OF LOSY ANGELES COUNTY,

FORNIA CALIFORNIA, A'COBIPORATION OF CALI- n no'rroirrrcrunn PnoJEc'ron 'Application led September 3, l1929, Serial No. 390,121. Eenevveil-l July 11, 1932.

groups, each group including'pictures of dii ferent color values of alsubject taken simultaneousl from a common point oi vision.

It is a general-object' of the present invention to provide a lsystem of projection of the character mentioned by which it is possible .to lget full and etlicient illumination.

- t is a urther object of the invention` to providea system for handling film of the character mentioned employing a single source' of light in a simple, effective and eiicient manner.

Another object of the invention is to profor handling a pluthrough spacedpictures and'bring them toregisterl on a screen in a particularly simple, compact and eicient manner.

` stood fromthe :following detailed descrip;`

. It isanother obj ect of the invention to provide an optical system' of the character mentioned employing corrective prisms located so that they do not interfere with the action ofthe lenses of the system. 4

A further obj ect-of the invention is to provide an optical 'system embodying three spaced shafts of light andv'a single shutter,

e shatsof'light 'and shutter being related so that the shafts oflight are simultaneously intercepted -by the shutter.

'The various objects and features of my invention will be best and more fully underfv tion of a typlical form and application of the invention, t roughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which: Y v Fig. 1 is a side elevation of' a picture pro- 'ecting apparatus embodying the present in'- f vention. Fig. 2V is a diagrammatic view illus- 45 trating the-optical system provided by the invention, andFig.-3 is a detailed sectional view of the film carryinglportion of the` ap-v paratus.

The. present invention is especiallv suited i'orsuseinfhandlingla motion picture lm F in which the pictures are in groups or sets,

each group comprising several, say, three pic',' tures of a subject taken simultaneously from a common point of vision,the several ypictures being' of different chromaticvalues of the subject and being spaced apart longitudinally o the lm, preferably distances of light 10, light dividing means 11 operable to receive a shaft of light from the source of light 10and divide it into a plurality ofspaced shafts -to be projected through the several pictures of a group on .the film F, means 12 several pictures of a group are held in a predetermined position to be in the path of the shafts of light directed by the means 1l, means 13 receiving the shafts of light after they have passed through the film F and directing them onto a screen in register, and

v means for simultaneously interrupting the several shaftspof light. l

The source of light 10 may be ofthe type ordinarily employed in motion picture apparatus; Jfor example, vare lamp including a suitable arrangement of reflector and condenser lens. The source of light 10 may be considered to direct or project a single shaft of light in which the beams are substantially parallel. A

The means 11 provided for dividing the forhandling the film F so that the it may vbe an ordinary l light from the source 10 into a plurality of shafts for projection through the pictures 0nv the iilm F includes two light dividers`14 'l I and 15 angularlyarranged one behind the other-in the path of the shaft et light from the source 10, a. first reiector 16 receiving light reflected by the reflector'17 receiving b a first reflector 18 receiving lig t reflected the divider 15, and a second reflector 19 `receiving the light from the reflector 18 and throughthe lm F. lThe rsty divider 14, and a secondi light from `the iirst re- A lector 16 and directing it through the film shown the from Athe source 10 and operates to pass part of the light and reflect off part of theolight at an angle, say, upwardly. The second light divider 15 is arranged at an angle, say, at

forty-five degrees, in the path of the shaft of light passed by passes part of the light and projects off the light that is not passed at an angle, say, downwardly. The two first reflectors 16 and 18 receive the shafts of light reflected upwardly and downwardly 'by the dividers 14 and 15, respectively, and reflect them forward, or in the eneral direction of the shaft projected by the source of light 10. The second reflectors 17 and 19 receive the reflected shafts and direct them inwardly and forward so that they converge and are projected toward a center coincident with the shaft of light pro.- j ected by the source 10.

The light dividers 14 and 15 may be of various types commonly employed in optical systems of this character, for instance, they may be partially silvered plates which operate to receive a shaft of light to pass part of it and reflect ofll the rest. The reflectors that 'have been referred to are preferably front surface reflectors of any suitable type. In prac.- tice I have used chromium plated reflectors.

The film handling means 12 operates to hold the film F so that the ortion carrying the group of pictures to e projected is curved about the center toward which the shafts of light are projected` by the reflectors 17 and 19. The means-12 may vary in construction, it being preferred to employ a construction such as is fully set forth and .claimed in my co-pending application entitled Construction for cameras, projectors, etc., filed September 25, 1928, Serial No. 308,241. Further, it is to be understood that the means 12-may be incorporated or arranged in com bination with any suitable means for intermittently advancing the film to bring successive groups of pictures into jection. For the purpose of illustrating the principles of the present invention, 'I have arranged, over an annular guide plate 20 provided with three apertures 21, 22 and 23. The aperture 21 is in line with the shaft of lighteoming directly from the source of light 10 after having passed the dividers 14 and 15, the

beingin the path of light reflected by the reflector 19.

It is to- 'be understood, of course, that the the first divider 14, and

position for pro-- aperture 22 being in the path of the light reflected by the reflector Y 17 and the aperture'23 -23 before it reaches the center or intercepts the shaft being projected through the aperture 21. The reflectors 30 arearranged at an anule to the shafts of light passing through the apertures 22 and 23 to reflect the shafts 4in a forward direction, preferably forward and somewhat outward, as shown in the diagram of Fig. 2. By directing the re flected shafts somewhat outward as well as forward, it is 32 and get maximum illumination.

The means'l3ffurther includes a project` ing lens 31 in the path of light projected through the aperture 21, and' projecting lenses 32 located in the path of the shafts of light reflected by the reflectors 30. I may use single combination lenses. Suitable co1'- rective devices, for instance, prisms 33, are

arranged to'receive the light after passing the lenses 32 to direct the reflected shafts, that is, the shafts passed bythe apertures 22 and 23, somewhat inwardly so that they will fall upon the screen in register with the shaft passing directly through the system. In practice suitable lshields 35 may be arranged in the means 13, for,r instance, between the reflectors o0 and the lenses 32. Further, where the film F does not carry the color values directly but merely images of different color values of the subject, suitable chromatic means in the form of filters 50 may be provided in the system to give the several shafts of light proper color values so that the resultant picture appearing on the screen combines the color values to produce a picture in natural colors. In the preferred arrangement the filters 50 are located to pass the light after it has passed the lenses and prisms. It is to be understood that the apparatus just described may be constructed so that the various parts can be suitably regulated or adjusted- The present invention isv concerned with the optical'system in a broad sense and is not concerned with details of construction, and therefore such details are omitted from this specification.

A shutter 51 is arranged at a suitable point in the system, preferably 'beyond the lenses and filters as shown in the drawing. I prefer to use a barrel type shutter arranged so that its axis of rotation intersects the axes of` the several shafts of light. In the case illustrated, where the several shafts are one above the other, the shutter is arranged1vertically. With this arrangement the several -1 possible to employ large lensesA of my 1nvention, I do tioned shaft, and means interceptin set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any changesl or variations that ma ap ar to those skilled in the art or fall wit in t e scope of the followin claims:

. Having descri d my invention, I claim:

1. In an o tical system, a film support, a film carried by ,the support about a center,- means directing Aspaced shafts of light through pictures on the :film toward said cen- 1 ter and directing one of the shafts of light i through said center and toward a screen, and

means reflecting the other two shafts of light before theyreach said center to direct them in the general direction of the first-mentioned l shaft, and means whereby the shaftspassing toward the screen are'focused andregistered on the screen.

3. In an optical system, a film support, va film heldby the support curved about a center, means directing three s aced shafts of' light through pictures on the said center toward a screen, reflectors withinthe curved portion of the film to reflect the `other two -shafts of lightbefo're they reach said center, and means whereby the shafts passing toward the screen are focused and registered on rthe screen including a lens in the path of each shaft of light 'after it has passed the film.,

m toward said center and directing the center shaft throuo'h l the lm to reflect the other two shafts of light before they reach'said center so that they pass in the direction of the screen and diverge slightly, means correcting the divergence of said other two shafts of light so that all three shafts of light register at the screen, and a lensv in each shaft of light as it passes to'- ward the-screen.

6. A projector including, a screen, two light dividers arranged at opposite angles in a singlo shaft of light directed 'toward the screen,

rst reflectors directin the shafts reflected oil' by the dividers so t at they-are substantially parallel with the shaft passed by the dividers,

ward a center intersected'by the shaft passed by thedividers, third reflectors receiving the shafts from the second reflectors before they reach saidcenter and' directing them in the direction of the screen and so that they are in the path of each slightl divergent, a lens shaft directed toward the screen, means in the reflected shafts causing them to register at the screen with the shaft passed by the dividers, and a lm'arranged to extend between the second reflectors receiving the shafts from the `first reflectors and directing them tosecondY 1 and third'relectorsmand through the l"shaft'passed bythe'dividers. l

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto -subscribed my name this 12th day ofYY July, 1929.

WALTER L. 'WRIGHT 4. In a projecting a lm support v havin apertures, a film held by curve about a center, means directing t ree s aced shafts offlight toward said center, t rough the apertures in the support, through pictures on the iilm and directing the middle shaft through said center and toward a screen, reflectors within the curved portion of the film to reflect the other two shafts of light before they reach said center and reflect them in the direction of the screen, color filters in the paths of the shafts of light, and means whereby the shafts passing toward the screen are focused and registered on the screen inthe sup ort cluding a lens in the path of each shaft of light after it has passed the iilm.

' 5. In an optical system, a screen, a film support, a iilm carried by the support curved about a center, means directing three spaced shafts of light throughpicturesl on the film and toward said center and directing the middle shaft through said center andtoward the screen, reflectors within the curved portion of 

